Foot pain in runners
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Foot pain and injuries in runners are very common, particularly when it comes to overuse injuries.
The most common foot injuries in running include:
Metatarsal Stress fractures – Metatarsal stress fractures are the most common type of stress fracture to occur in the foot, and are very common in runners. Symptoms include forefoot pain and pain is usually relieved with rest, addressing strength and possible movement deficits and a graded return to running program. Navicular stress fractures – Navicular stress fractures are often presented with midfoot, dorsal pain which worsens with activity, particularly running. Scans are often needed and treatment involves non-weight bearing conservative treatment (with similar elements to metatarsal stress fractures) or surgery in some cases. Plantar fasciopathy – Refers to pain on the on the heel and bottom of the foot, which is intensified with the initiation of weight-bearing activity. Treatment will include modifying your load and taping, followed by a strengthening program to strengthen the muscles of your foot and then a graded return to running program. Tibialis posterior tendinopathy – Symptoms of this include pain on the inside of the foot, and pain which is often worse during eversion or inversion of the foot. The injury is generally caused by inappropriate training loads and a weak calf/ankle complex. A risk factors can also be biomechanical problems of the foot. Extensor tendinopathy – Extensor tendinopathies are generally attributed to by an increase in hill running, due to increased pressure on the tibialis anterior muscle, and can also be caused by running on uneven surfaces. Achilles tendinopathy – Achilles tendinopathies are generally overuse injuries of the Achilles tendon region, commonly seen in running and jumping based sports. Find out more about achilles tendinopathy in our blog post here.Most foot injuries in runners are overuse injuries, especially plantar fasciopathy and tendinopathies of the midfoot and forefoot. Metatarsals, tarsal navicular and sesamoids are most at risk from stress damage (stress fractures).
Do you suffer from foot pain?
Our physiotherapists and podiatrists can help you get back on track and pain free – find out more about our physiotherapy services here and our podiatry services here.
What can you do to stay injury free?
Not increasing km’s too quickly: increasing your weekly running too quickly is one of the biggest contributors to injury in running, particularly for overuse injuries and stress fractures. A nice common rule of thumb is: don’t increase greater than 10% per week. Training load management: Managing your training load is vital in reducing your risk of injury. Proper periodisation of your program should be done by your coach or a professional for the best results and to avoid over loading. Strength and conditioning program: Runners often neglect strength and conditioning, and focus only on running lots of kilometres. A strength and conditioning program consisting of exercises such as squats and lunges, as well as core work will be beneficial to your performance by reducing running economy and potentially reducing your risk of injury. Warming up, cooling down and stretching: this is so important and often not taken seriously enough. A dynamic warm up should always be done before a run, with the length depending on the distance of the run, and a cool down and stretching/foam rolling session should always be completed afterwards to aid in recovery. Make sure you have the correct running shoes: you should have running shoes that are suited to your foot and running type, which should be properly fitted. Our podiatrists can help you with this. Find out more about our podiatry services here. A biomechanical analysis can help to make sure your running technique is best suited to you and help you perfect your technique to decrease your chances of injury. Book in for a biomechanical analysis with one of our podiatrists today by calling 4356 2588 or book online via the button below.Book an appointment at Coast Sport by calling (02) 4356 2588 or book online via the button below.
Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only. Do not rely or act upon information from www.coastsport.com.au without seeking professional medical advice. Do not delay seeing a doctor if you think you have a medical problem or injury.